Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Royal Caribbean Genesis Cruise Ship - First Reveal Announced Today

Well, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line never ceases to amaze me. When they introduced the Voyager of the Seas in 1999, I thought nothing could ever get better than this. Who would have ever thought a cruise ship could have an ice-skating rink, rock climbing wall and a Royal Promenade boardwalk? Then, of-course came the Freedom class, which somehow managed to outdo the Voyager class ship with the FlowRider surf simulator, boxing ring and an enormous water park (H20 Zone) for children.

Well now comes “Project Genesis”. As promised, I just came back from New York City where Royal Caribbean did its first of many reveals of great features onboard the Genesis class cruise ship. And, all I can say is WOW! But, before I delve right into the first secret revealed onboard this mega ship, let me make sure you are familiar with the background and specifications of this great cruise ship.

The “Project Genesis” class cruise ship will embark on its maiden voyage sometime in late 2009. The Genesis class ship will be the largest and most innovative cruise ship in the world featuring 16 decks and encompassing 220,000 gross tons and carrying 5,400 cruise passengers. No, that is not a typo. This unbelievable cruise ship will carry 5,400 guests. FYI – The Voyager class ship, which is no small ship, carries 3,114 passengers. The Genesis class ship will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and most likely embark on Caribbean type itineraries. Just in case you didn’t know. Genesis will not be the official name of this ship. Royal Caribbean is currently conducting a “Name that Ship” contest and the official name of the “Project Genesis” will be revealed soon.

Okay, now for the exciting part. The first brand new feature on the Genesis, which was just revealed today, will be Central Park. So, what is Central Park? If you have ever been on a Voyager or Freedom class ship, then you have most likely experienced the fabulous Royal Promenade interior boardwalk. The Genesis Central Park will be a significantly larger and more spacious boardwalk, but completely outdoors. Central Park will be located near the center of the ship and completely open to the sky. Central Park brings the outdoors in, with a completely open-air space. Lined with balcony staterooms and reaching six decks high, it is 62 feet wide and 328 feet long. Want a better perspective? Central Park is twice the width of the Royal Promenade featured on the Freedom Class ships.

Central Park will feature distinctive neighborhoods with shops, restaurants and lounges of all types to fit almost any mood of the typical cruise vacationer. Surrounding the Central Park neighborhood will be a wide variety of restaurants ranging from fine dining to casual. Guests will have the choice to dine at the new upscale “150 Central Park” or have a more casual picnic lunch at the Central Park Café. Other Central Park dining options will include Giovanni’s Table (Italian restaurant) and Chops Grille Steakhouse.

Several bars will also be scattered all along Central Park. Probably the most innovative and unusual bar is the “Rising Tide” bar. This is the first moving bar at sea. No, I am not kidding. The Rising Tide bar will elevate and descend three decks as guests enjoy a cocktail and enjoy the scenery surrounded by Central Park.

There is so much more to tell, but so little time. So, with that said, I leave you with some first-ever photos of the Royal Caribbean Genesis class cruise ship. Enjoy the photos and please keep a close eye on our blog over the next few weeks as I reveal more details and even more photos.